They went from a grassroots team to champions. Now a film on this small town’s basketball team is going global

A photo in an American sports magazine kickstarted the first basketball team in a small regional South Australian town in 1949.

Merv Bartsch and Esmond Sior started the Loxton Amateur Basketball Association with no previous knowledge of how to play the sport, but the club has grown to produce well-known names in the Riverland and beyond.

A documentary written, directed and co-produced by Loxton local John deCaux tells the story of the small town’s basketball journey from grassroots to champions.

Now, the history is being shared with international audiences with Loxton Basketball: 70 years — originally released in 2021 — added to the streaming platform Amazon Prime.

Humble beginnings inspire doco

The film was commissioned in 2019 as a five-minute video to be shown at the Loxton Basketball Club’s 70th anniversary dinner.

But after learning about the club’s humble beginnings, Mr deCaux wanted to share the story in a bigger way through his company, Six Foot Four Productions.

“Just the start of the club was more than enough for five minutes of video,” he told Narelle Graham on ABC SA Regional Drive.

“[Merv and Esmond] got some plywood stuck up against the back of the netball hoops [and] played in the show hall with half-concrete, half-wood floors.

“They just made it up as they went along for the first year.

“It really inspired me to be like, ‘This is more than just a small thing you play at the dinner.'”

Funding was secured through the federal government’s Regional Arts Fund, Country Arts SA and the District Council of Loxton Waikerie to bring the 45-minute feature to life.

“The best part was we hit the project at the right time,” Mr deCaux said.

“There was still a number of guys that actually played in that first year of basketball alive to be part of the documentary.”

Community pride shines on screen

Les Lange has spent 44 years involved with the association and the wider Riverland sporting scene.

He was one of the people interviewed for the documentary.

“I felt so proud when I heard that Amazon took that on board because my love is basketball,” he said.

“It’s just phenomenal that people overseas are taking interest in it.”

From player and coach to association president and life member, Mr Lange has seen modern player history forming in front of his eyes.

“Young Tyson Hoffman [ex-professional basketball player] ended up sitting on the bench for the Adelaide 36ers,” Mr Lange said.

“[Professional basketball player] Bianca Stasinowsky was a development player with the Adelaide Lightning [and] we’ve had a couple of kids go to America through state country.”

Stasinowsky started playing basketball for the Loxton under 12s when she was six years old.

Now 19 and based in Adelaide, she said she owed her development to her beginnings in the regional team and was proud to be part of the club’s history.

“I always love hearing about the history of Loxton basketball because it does go back so far,” Stasinowsky said.

“It’s genuinely amazing … the fact it literally came from two guys, the growth that it’s had over so many years and the success we’ve had.”

History available for streaming

Mr deCaux said he was “thrilled” the local film had been picked up for an international audience.

“It’s funny we had a few of our projects up for Amazon and this is the one they wanted,” he said.

“What makes me the proudest is it’s just a documentary about Loxton Basketball Club.

“The fact they had such an incredible story behind it and throughout all the years going forward.”